A Birthday
by appolik
Summary: Rogue has a birthday. How many surprises await her on that day? Rated T just to be safe. Please, read and review.


_**A Birthday**_

_Rated: T, just to be safe._

_Disclaimer: I guess, if I did own X-Men: Evolution, I wouldn't be writing fanfictions, but a script to next seasons. So, don't own and never will. All of the characters belong to Marvel._

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_Narration

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

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_Rogue was sitting, looking outside her window with a single thought on her mind: birthday sucks; it's one of those worst celebrations of a year, which you can't possibly escape.

You wake up and realize that one more year of your life has gone without any trace, without adding a drop of happiness, without making you healthier or luckier person. Then you get up, wash yourself and catch yourself wondering, exactly how many people would remember that you have a birthday today. Then the entire day makes you pissed, because, unlike you, normal people, and even mutants, have their families and friend around, throwing various presents and love at them. And by the evening. you just sit in front of your window, remembering all of the simple and ignorant glances, that you received in your address. What Rogue, actually, was doing at the moment.

Awesome.

There was a knock on her door, and a familiar, rough and deep voice followed:

"Common, Stripes, get outta there, or you'll rot at this rate."

Rogue rolled her eyes. It was impossible to argue, because Logan won all of the arguments, regardless if it was reasoned, forced or forced with extreme pressure. Deciding not to waste any time (or any of Wolverine's temper, for that matter), she got up and went out of her room.

No one.

"Was that a joke?", a thought passed through her head. She was determined to find Logan and tell exactly how she likes to be bothered without any valid reason.

She descended into the hall…

… and nearly chocked of surprise: all of the Institute residents came into one big mass of people, Professor Xavier in the middle of it all and Logan was standing aside, with a self-content smirk. Just as how her eyes came back to normal from a size of tea-plates, everyone's voice combined into massive chorus with loud "Happy Birthday, Rogue!", and Bobby, Alex and Jamie fired confetti.

Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Rogue came down the stairs. The first one to come to her was Kitty, with something wrapped-up and solid.

"I know you like stuff like this, no need to protest. I saw you had a few picture-thingies and some magazines about this, so, well, yeah…"

Rogue raised an eyebrow and took the wrapping paper off. In her hand she held a big, bright and full of illustrations encyclopedia about art of different ancient cultures. Kitty was right, Rogue loved and greatly appreciated art; she liked such things, and in her drawer there were some cards with various pictures of Antique art and sculptures.

"Thanks…" was all she could squeeze out in response.

Kitty smiled her usual cheerful smile, and moved aside, to give some room for Jean and Scott.

While congratulating Rogue one more time, Jean presented a wrapped-up box, and Scott, visibly nervous, asked:

"Could you try it on…?"

Rogue was a bit surprised, but opened up the present: there was a thin, knitted black sweater; it was decorated with three white sewed-on spider-webs that covered the entire front and back, and there were some green shiny beads on the front.

Without any hesitation, Rogue put on the sweater and found herself pleasantly surprised: the thing fitted perfectly well on her.

"Wow… cool", she was really speechless.

"Thank Scott for that, otherwise I would have picked one size smaller…"

"How do you know my size?", Rogue was interested on how Scott would have such information on her.

"Well, I… Let's say that I'm good with eye-measuring, especially when it comes to wom…"

It needs to be noted that he stopped right in time all by himself. Just a second later, Kurt, being such a good friend he is, shut his mouth and teleported Scott on the kitchen, out of harm's way. Rogue was startled a bit, but revenge was already forming in her mind. Jean, however, just sent a fierce glare in the kitchen's direction; couple of seconds later, there was Scott's "Ouch" and some noise of falling objects.

Rogue smirked a little, and Jean gave a tiny nod, indicating that she'll have a proper talk with him later. _Well,_ Rogue thought, _he is your boyfriend after all._

A moment later, Kurt showed up in front of her, carrying a bright birthday bag.

"Happy Birthday, sis! Hope you vill like it."

Rogue looked inside, and was ready to hug and kiss her brother: there were winter hat, scarf and gloves, all of dark violet color. Just a few days ago, some smartass decided to take her old scarf and hat for their own, and as a result she got flu and two days of sneezing hell. To say that she was pissed would be an understatement: she was ready to rip anyone's head off, who just happened to be in wrong place at wrong time.

The goth just said "Thanks"; Kurt, however, knew that she is more than pleased. That's why, using the circumstance of the moment, he just hugged her, not worrying about the usual resistance. No, she was in too good of a mood.

The rest just gave her birthday cards; except for Jamie: he, being a young gentleman, gave her a little statue of a kitten, which was holding roses. Rogue decided not to disappoint Multiple, and didn't say that she felt sudden urge to spew her lunch from such glamour, and that she doesn't really like cats in general. She just smiled and thanked the boy. He was glad, thinking that he lightened her mood even more, not knowing that Rogue already planned to throw it somewhere, where she wouldn't see it, like the highest and farthest shelf in her wardrobe.

Just as everyone sat themselves for a nice dinner, there was a bell.

Rogue opened the door; right in front of her stood, smirking, the one and only Wanda Maximoff.

"Wanda? What are you doing here?"

"What? You think I'd miss a birthday of the closest being that I have?"

Well, that was the truth: even though they didn't spend much time together, they were very close friends. Hell, Rogue was the only one, who Wanda could stand, share her secrets with; and vice versa. Needless to say, they had a lot in common.

The Scarlet Witch outstretched her hand, holding a small box. Rogue took and opened it, her eyes instantly filled with shine: a collar, with a mid-sized cross, sterling silver, decorated with ornament; a little emerald incrusted right in the middle.

"Wow… you're not broke after buying this, are you?"

"Don't worry. First of all, even if it is a little too expensive, then it's Magneto's headache, not mine. Second of all, I can blame it all on Pietro – the idiot's the one who throws money on the wind, so it won't be the first time for him to get scolded for it.

The girls smirked the cruel smirks at each other, and proceeded inside.

No one protested Wanda's presence; on the contrary, they were glad that she was friendly tuned, so they won't have to suffer any damage.

Not five minutes have passed, as there was another bell. Rogue rolled her eyes and went to open the door.

First thing she saw was huge, three-storeies cake; second thing – Brotherhood of Mutants, almost full-gathered: there wasn't any sight of Mystique (thank God), and Wanda was already inside, hands folded on the chest.

"Roooogueeeey! Happy Birthday!", said Pietro, "Did you think we forgot all about you?"

"Well, actually…"

"Come on", said Lance in a stretchy, laid back voice, "You were one of us. It would be rude, if we at least didn't say 'hi'."

"Wanda could warn me…", muttered the goth to herself.

"How could I have known, I wasn't even at home today"

_Which does not surprise me_, Rogue thought.

For a few minutes, the Brotherhood were making their way into the mansion: first, there was a struggle of bringing cake inside; then Wolverine made them take an oath that tonight they wouldn't even dare to "do anything suspicious"; then Toad flew right outside the door, shining bright blue light, so that he would, as Wanda said, think over his attempts to come to her any closer than three meters, and so that he'll learn that they'll sit very far apart at the table; of course, there took place the 'battle of testosterone' between Lance and Scott, and continued until Kitty finally took it as her cue to pull Alvers away from Summers.

Surprisingly, the evening passed in peaceful co-existence, without any commotion. (It should be noted that Professor Xavier felt like he was in one of his dreams)

After the giant cake was successfully finished, the Brotherhood decided to take their leave, so they loaded into their jeep (it would be ten times faster, but Lance took his time to say goodbye to Kitty), and rode away; everyone, except for Wanda, who said that she'll go by herself.

On the way back to her room, Rogue wished everyone to have a nice night, while anticipating a good, deep sleep. However, someone's hand stopped her right at her door.

"Logan?"

"Ya know, in a way, I have some sort of a gift for you as well."

"No, really now?"

Logan smirked:

"While ya were busy drinking your tea, I smelled someone. Someone familiar to the both of us, but still, he's a trespasser. He sneaked like a thief, and it was no brainer why. But, I thought I shouldn't stop him… and I won't, not today, anyways."

Rogue knew what, and who he was talking about, but there still was something unclear.

"W-what do you mean, 'and I won't'?"

"Night, Stripes."

"Logan!"

But he just waved her off, and went away.

Slightly anticipating something, she walked into her room and put all of her presents on her nightstand (birthday card were put away in the nightstand itself, and the kitten with roses, just as planned, went onto the highest and furthest corner of her wardrobe).

Lying in her bed, she felt that it was a bit colder, than it supposed to be. She stood up and noticed that the window was opened. The goth wanted to close it, but she didn't even got to start the action: her attention was caught by a red rose and a purple envelope on the floor, right beneath the window. She didn't even need a signature, to recognize who It was from.

She inhaled the scent of the rose; after enjoying it to her fullest, she opened up the envelope. There was a simple, white postcard, which held the Queen of Hearts in it and a writing, that said nothing more than "Bon anniversaire, Ma Belle, wait for me at the midnight."

Rogue dashed to her nightstand and looked at the time: "00:01".

Not a single thought passed through her mind, before she heard quiet and soft, yet cocky voice:

"Bon nuit, ma cherie."

_Hell, birthday is the best thing in the whole year!_

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_**A/N**__: There, nothing new, just plain and simple. All I did was giving you the general idea of how some of the relationships among the characters work in my mind. It isn't much, but there'll be more. _

_Now, all I need are your reviews. I really need them, because it is my first fanfiction, written in English. I need your feedback on the language more than on the story itself (the story is very basic, I don't expect much comments, but I would like to know how you liked it). So, review, please; remember that constructive criticism is the best feedback. _


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